| Overall Grade: | D |
|---|---|
| Violence: | D |
| Sexual Content: | C- |
| Language: | A- |
| Drugs/Alcohol: | -- |
| MPAA Rating: | |
| Video Release: |
In-Depth Review
ShareRomeo & Juliet is rated PG-13: for scenes of contemporary violence and some sensuality.
With its incredible teen appeal, I can see this latest version of Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet playing in every high school English classroom from Maine to British Columbia. But like candied poison, this Romeo is coated in things teens love, and leaves parents defenseless against the argument of, "But mom, this is Shakespeare!"
Parents, your teens are not in for a Shakespearian feast when they sit down to watch this movie. Less than half of the original script is included, hardly making it a substitute for the real thing. The setting, the fictitious present day Verona Beach, is an urban community that looks more like a reclaimed landfill. Boiled down to Mafia-like street gangs, members of the Montague and Capulet families roam the sands with the typical punk look of the present day. Under the chic clothing, everyone has a designer handgun, as the mighty pistol has replaced the swords and daggers of Shakespeare's day.
This is a mayhem of violence and sex that comes just shy of an R-rating. A constant blur of MTV moves with quick cuts, tight closeups, shaking first-person filming techniques and a blistering rock score may have you searching for Gravol if you are viewing it on a large screen. Sexual innuendo is often included, and the big love scene is a masterpiece of maneuvering so as to not have a glimpse of anything forbidden in the realm of PG-13.
But the greatest concern may be the way teen suicide is portrayed. As the two star-crossed lovers meet their end in a glamorous church surrounded by hundreds of candles, I can't help but think that some may consider this as a fitting end for their own troubles.
Even the small amount of original prose that is included is poorly presented, especially by younger cast members, who seem to be reciting the script a line at a time. By far, the best way to enjoy this work, is from the pages of the Bard's script. This Romeo And Juliet has far too much poison and too little to love.
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About the Reviewer: Rod Gustafson
Rod Gustafson has worked in various media industries since 1977. He founded Parent Previews in 1993, and today continues to write and broadcast the reviews in newspapers, on radio and (of course) on the Internet. He currently serves as the President of the Alberta Association for Media Awareness, a provincial non-profit society. He also authors a regular column for The Parent's Television Council in Los Angeles. He and his wife Donna have four children.
